1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Honors English 12

2. BACKGROUND One original manuscript exists
Composed no later than 1400 (contemporary to Chaucer)
Last of four poems written by presumably the same author- style, dialect, theme
Pearl
Purity
Patience
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Provincial dialect indicates origin in the northwest Midlands of England, local allusions in the work support this theory
Audience- clearly aristocracy

3. CHARACTERISTICS Typical of Middle English alliterative poems
alliterative long lines following Old English metrical style
repetition of the same consonant sound on at least two, often three, of the stressed syllables (bob and wheel)
From the “Golden Age” of Camelot
before Launcelot’s prominence- more works feature Gawain than Launcelot

4. MEDIEVAL ROMANCE- CHARACTERISTICS
Opens at a feast (details of pageantry highlighted)
challenge presented
setting amidst feudal nobility, celebration of warrior society
adventures of a young hero
supernatural elements
hero learns a moral lesson
archetypical female temptress
cyclical qualities of nature
chivalric concept of courtly love

5. CHIVALRY AND COURTLY LOVE
relationship between ideal hero: errant knight, and noble woman of his affection
most supreme example of courtly love was for an unattainable woman, often the queen
the knight’s love for this woman would be the inspiration for his achievement of braver deeds in her honor
CODE OF CHIVALRY
protection of the weak and fair elements of society by the loyal, self-sacrificing knight
demonstrations of the knight’s fidelity to his court and king
respect for other warriors and the rules of combat

6. ROMANCE OR ANTI-ROMANCE?
1400 time period- end of the romance genre
Is the poet supporting chivalric/courtly love values? Or is he being dramatic and ironic in his portrayal of conventional romance elements? Is this a satire?
SGATGN could very well be an expression of the author’s doubts about the values and social institution of the chivalric court.
opens with darker side of British history- misery and distress
very superlative description of Camelot
decadence of feast
exalted Guinevere, other women are in keeping with courtly love “standards”
Arthur- young, boyish, restless, inexperienced, likely immature
the Stranger- appears to be half-mocking the court
initial silence demonstrates possible cowardice of Camelot
cowardly description of court
Gawain’s speech- perhaps too deferential?
Arthur- lack of concern for Gawain’s mission- demonstration of Arthur’s immaturity

7. CELTIC CONNECTION Setting- Christmas/ New Year’s
Celtic pagan beliefs- year is an importance cycle in both human and natural worlds
strange time of year often affected by supernatural events or interactions
new year often equaled celebration and revelry to welcome new year and release excess spiritual energy
Green Knight
unaccountable force of nature intrudes into the epitome of civilization, Camelot
beheading game- ritual Pagan significance
Green Knight’s indication of the following New Year’s day hints at importance of the cyclical year
renewal/regeneration
green color- dominant in nature

8. GAWAIN’S CHIVALRIC FAITH
Gawain fully believes in the values of chivalry
He never questions his “duty” to set off on his quest
volunteers to take the Green Knight’s challenge
keeps his “side of the bargain”
as a nod to both chivalry and Christianity, the author clearly indicates that Gawain is guided and protected by his sense of morality
Shield

9. WILL PIETY AND MORALITY SUSTAIN HIM?
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
Will his unerring moral sense be enough to protect him from these more disguised forces?
Are Christian and chivalric perfection enough to make a man whole?
The writer questions the above when societal values are pitted against human nature and the imperfection of society!
Gawain seems too perfect and too idealistic to survive unscathed!

10. THE EDENIC METAPHOR COMMON ALLUSION
Man was intended by God to be a perfect creature. Adam, the first man, initially lived in an untouched Paradise (the Garden of Eden), along with Eve, the first woman.
Eve was tempted by Satan, became curious, and convinced Adam to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.
As punishment for the Original Sin, they were thrown from Paradise to the earth.
THE FALL OF MAN

11. SYMBOLISM- THE SHIELD
This is a symbol of both PHYSICAL protection and MORAL protection
Faultless in his Five Senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste)
In his Five Fingers he failed at no time (he is dexterous and able in combat)
Faith in the Five Wounds Christ received on the cross (one in each limb and the spear wound in the abdomen)
Five Joys the Virgin Mary had in Jesus (These are not listed in the poem, but are offered as background: Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Assumption). The Hail Mary prayer is often associated with these five joys.
And, finally, the Five Knightly Virtues (exact wording depends on translation)
(a) free-giving (or generosity)- liberality
(b) friendliness (or brotherhood)- lovingkindness
(c) chastity (or purity)- continence
(d) chivalry (or courtesy)- courtesy
(e) piety (or compassion)- piety
Morality protects him on the outside, but faith is his inner strength

12. SYMBOLISM- FIVE
Bible- numerous references-The number 5 symbolizes God’s grace, goodness and favor toward humans and is mentioned 318 times in Scripture. Five is the number of grace, and multiplied by itself, which is 25, is 'grace upon grace' (John 1:16). The Ten Commandments contains two sets of 5 commandments. The first five commandments are related to treatment and relationship with God and the last five concern relationship with other humans.
Pentateuch- Old Testament- five books of God’s law
English Lover’s Knot
Pythagorean Theorem (2+3) as one was not a number and was not odd. Man plus woman equaled five.
Five Pillars of Islam

13. SYMBOLISM- THE TEMPTRESS
Archetypical representation of the temptress- highly seductive. Gawain must use all of his virtue and willpower to resist the temptation.
Highly sexualized encounter.

14. SYMBOLISM- THE GREEN SASH
Symbolic of Gawain’s falling away from truth/ falling away from his perfect virtue
If Pentangle equals truth, the girdle is the “untruth” in Gawain’s life
Perhaps a symbol of Gawain’s humanness

15. MISOGYNY IN GAWAIN’S SPEECH
The speech appears to likely be simply a frustrated outburst
Highly contradictory to Gawain’s behavior throughout this work (and others)
Several Biblical allusions

16. THE END… Gawain’s return to Camelot Treacherous journey home
Upon arrival, Camelot celebrates
Gawain still overwhelmed by his personal defeat
Arthur’s insistence that all shall wear a green baldric- will this serve as a constant reminder of Gawain’s failure?
Celebration highlights Arthur’s immaturity.
HONY SOYT QUI MAL PENCE- Shame on him who thinks ill of it / Shame on him who thinks this evil- Hard to say if the author included this or not- still exists as the motto of the Order of the Garter (most senior order of British Chivalry, founded by Edward III in

17. MYTHIC STRUCTURE
The first part (fitt) takes place within a royal court
The second part (fitt) is a perilous journey outdoors which ends in another royal court
The third part (fitt) alternates between the setting of the royal court and the perilous outdoors
The final part (fitt) is again a journey outdoors that ends the original court, the court of King Arthur at Camelot
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The hero takes the journey to right some previous wrong or restore balance to the natural order
The symmetry of this poem in particular would suggest that the natural order has been restored, as the New Year shines brightly on Arthur’s court- fine and well, but consider it does mask the fact that Gawain’s individual sense of order has been uprooted